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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l. P. GMEHLIN.

PIANO PLATE No. 403,583. Patented May 21, 1889.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

WIN/E8858:

(N0 Modem 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. GMEHLIN.

PIANO PLATE No. 408,583. Patented May 21, 1889.

IIVVE TOR WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS,

N. PETERS, Phawillhogravhu. Wnhmglnrl. n c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

P. GMEHLIN.

PIANO PLATE.

No. 403,583. Patented May 21, 1889.

WITNESSES.-

A TTORNE Y S UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL GMEHLIN, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

PIANO-PLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,583, dated May 21,1889.

Application filed October 9, 1888. Serial No. 287,675. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that 1, PAUL Gi\IEHL1N,a resident of the city, county, andState of New York, have invented an Improved Piano- Plate, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a plate for pianos that shallbe extremely strong, so as to withstand the strain of the strings, andyet be simple in construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved guide for thestrings near the front tuning-pins.

The invention consists in the details of improvement and thecombinations of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvedpiano-plate in position in a grand-piano frame. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view of the plate on the line 0- c, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is acrosssection thereof on the line 7; 7r, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlargeddetail sectional view on the plane of the line 7c 7;, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 isan enlarged detail plan view, partly broken, of the high treble side ofthe plate, showing my improved guide for the strings. Fig. 6 is alongitudinal sectional view on the line 7. 7o, Fig. 5, showing a stringin position on the plate. Fig. 7 is a detail face view of thestring-guide, and Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view throughthe stringguide and surrounding parts.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A represents the frame of agrand piano. B is the sound-board thereof, and D represents my improvedplate or string frame. The plate or string-frame D follows substantiallythe outline of the frame A, and at its edges said plate or string-frameis provided with a series of holes, a, to receive bolts from the frame Aor sound-board, whereby the plate D is secured in the piano-frame.

The plate or string-frame D has a raised portion or web, E, in form of aflat arch, that extends from near one side, Z), of the front of plate D,where the same constitutes the pinplate F continuously along the trebleside,

rear end, and base side of the string-frame D until it meets theopposite side, (Z, of the tuning-pin plate F, as shown in Fig. 1,thereby leaving an open central part in the plate or string-frame D.This continuous raised web E is contiguous to a flange or level part, c,of the plate or string-frame D,tha-t is provided with the holes a. Across-section of this arched web E, Fig. 3, shows it supported by flangee on both sides of plate D.

The flange or level part c of the plate or frame D rests upon the soundboard B. The upper surface of the web E is on one level throughout itsentire length. Along the inner edge of part of the web E the metal ofthe plate or string-frame D is in the form of a flange, f, that is lowerthan the top of the web E, but slightly above the under side of theflange 6. To this flange f the strings of the piano are to be secured.The web E is provided with a series of openings, g, to permit the escapeof sound-waves.

Braces h 'z' j Z extend from the tuning-pin plate F to and along the topof the web E, as in Fig. 1. The brace 1', while extending along the topof the web E, follows to some extent the curvature of the outeredge ofthe plate or string-frame D. Part of the brace Z extends along the inneredge of part of the web E, as shown. A brace, 021, extends from thehitchpin plate F along part of the inner edge of the web E until itmeets the brace Z, and then the brace m extends to and over the oppositepart of the web E. The braces 71, "2', j, Z, and on extend also alongthe under side of the web E. (See Fig. 3.) By this system of braces thatextend from the tuning-pin plate F to the web E, and along the top andbottom of said web, the plate or string-fran1e D is materiallystrengthened. The continuous arched web E, by being raised to one levelabove the soundboard B, promotes a strong development of sound-waves andincreases the volume of sound produced. This arched or curved continuousweb E produces an extremely-strong string-frame, because the curved webalong both sides and the end of the plate or string frame cannot bedrawn or distorted in any di rection by the draft of the strings, thearch of the web E preventing any movement, being supported by the flange6 throughout. The braces on the under side of the webE also act tostiffen the Web and to prevent bending.

In Fig. 7 is shown a face view of my improved guide G for strings, Figs.5, 6, and 8 showing said guide in position on the plate or string-frameD.

The guide G consists of a plate having a rod or rib, n, along one edge,said rodn being connected to the plate by strips 0, spaces or openings pbeingleft between said strips for the passage of wires 3. (See Fig. 6.)The guide v G may be made in one piece of metal, if desired, the rod nand strips 0 being made by cutting a series of openings, 19, as in Fig.7.

The guide G is to be secured to the tuningpin plate F at one edgethereof, the bar nprojecting beyond said plate F, as in Figs. 6 and 8.The guide G may be secured to the plate F by screws or otherwise. Therod 'n extends along beneath a cross rod or brace, q, of the main plateD. r is a rod or piece of wood or other material that is let into thebrace g on it's under side. The rod 1'. is. preferably grooved on itsunder side to receive the rod n, said rod n resting against the rod 1",as shown. When the guide G is in position and the strings s are to beset in. position, they are passed through the proper openings 19 fromthe upper side and secured to their respective pins ton the flange f andthe plate F in the ordinary manner. When in position, the

strings .9 rest against the rod 42, and this rod determines the lengthof string that shall extend free from the flange f.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is 1. The piano-plate orstring-frame D, having continuous arched Web E extending along two sidesand one end of the plate D, and provided with the depressedsupporting-flange e tinuous arched web'E, extending along three sides ofthe plate, combined with: the tuningpin plate Rand-with braces passingfrom said plate F to and along the side, top, and bottom of said web-andprojecting-below the bottom thereof, substantially as described.

4. In a piano-plate or string-frame, the raised web E, having bracespassing along and extending from the upper and-also: from the lowersides ofsaid web and integral therewith, substantially as described.

PAUL" GMEHLIN.

Witnesses:

'HARRY'M. TURK,

T. F. BOURNE.

